Alison Lundergan Grimes travels to China on economic development trip

Democratic Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes is taking part in a week-long trip to China to promote economic development efforts.

Grimes, along with five secretaries of state, left the country May 30 in an effort to bolster relations with the nation by “providing information about Kentucky, its business climate and economic development opportunities,” according to a press release sent Monday.

“Already in my tenure, more than 100,000 new businesses have started up in Kentucky,” Grimes said. “I’m excited and honored to have this unique opportunity to share the advantages Kentucky has to offer to new and expanding businesses.”

The trip to China is coordinated and completely funded by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, according to a press release from the Secretary of State’s Office.

The delegation of secretaries of state is scheduled to spend time in several Chinese cities and meet with government and business officials.

More than $1.6 billion in Kentucky products, mainly in the aerospace industry, was exported to China in 2014.

Grimes is running for a second term as secretary of state she faces Republican Steve Knipper, a business analyst and IT project manager, in the general election.

About Nick Storm

Nick Storm is the Anchor and Managing Editor of Pure Politics, the only nightly program dedicated to Kentucky politics. Nick covers all of the political heavyweights and his investigative work brings to light issues that might otherwise go unnoticed, like the connection between the high profile Steubenville, Ohio rape and a Kentucky hacker whose push for further investigation could put him in federal prison. Nick is also working on a feature length bio documentary Outlaw Poet: A documentary on Ron Whitehead. Follow Nick on Twitter @NickStorm_cn2. Nick can be reached at 502-792-1107 or nicholas.storm@charter.com.